2 tall mojitos with nice mint leaves as decoration accompanied with gold straws

The Mojito: A True Icon

The Mojito is a drink that has navigated the peaks and troughs of fads and trends for decades and has rightly earned its legendary status. Here, we give youshare the story behind this iconic drink and show you how to make it. 

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes 

As with many cocktail superheroes, the Mojito’s origin story is shrouded in mystery. We trace the story of this quintessential Cuban highball from the backstreets of Havana to some of the very best bars across the world.  

A MUDDLED HISTORY

A combination of rum, lime juice, sugar, soda water and mint. The merest mention of the Mojito evokes images of warm Havana nights and takes drinkers to the sunny shores of the Caribbean.  

Legend has it that we have Sir Francis Drake to thank for the invention of the Mojito; when an epidemic of scurvy broke out aboard his ship, he found a cure in Cuba. That recipe staved off the illness and was very similar to what we know today as the Mojito. 

THE MODERN MOJITO

Fast-forward a few centuries and the humble Mojito, once confined to Cuban farmhouses and beaches, exploded onto the burgeoning cocktail scene. Havana quickly became a popular spot for wealthy Americans, who scrambled over in their droves to drink a local take on the Mint Julep upon arrival.  

Today, the Mojito is one of the undisputed kings of the cocktail world, grabbing a spot on most cocktail menus. The reason for this is its simplicity. A winning combination of flavours that champions good rum and fresh ingredients.  

Key Takeaways

  • The Mojito is one of the world’s most iconic and celebrated cocktails. 
  • Although highly debated, it’s generally regarded that Sir Francis Drake played a part in the development of the drink. 
  • Americans took to the drink during prohibition by travelling across to Cuba to taste it. 
  • Using a clean, crisp spirit like Captain Morgan White Rum, delivers vanilla and spices to serves. 
  • Mentioning Mojitos will always evoke images of Havana nights and sunny Caribbean shores.